Send me email updates about messages I've received
on the site and the latest news from The CafeMom Team.By signing up, you certify that
you are female and accept the Terms of Service and have read the
Privacy Policy.

My brother inlaw, wife and child moved back to our area. My mother inlaw has practically forgotten my children exist since. How do I handle this?

My children have been her life for the last 8 and 17 years. Now that my brother inlaw, his wife and 2 year old daughter have moved back from Mexico, she barely finds time for my son. I understand that she is happy to have them back, but this is so disappointing to my youngest son. She went from her everything to the back burner. How do I handle this?

That's a toughy. You need to tell her how her lack of attention is making your kids feel. Maybe she can include them in her visits w/ their cousin. Or at least find a balance w/ her spare time. If you talk to her from the heart, Im sure she will understand & adjust her free time to include g-ma time w/ your kids. You're right, it's probably the excitement of having them back, & wanting to make up for lost time. Maybe you can all have some get togethers & you could host the first one to welcome them home. Good luck

Can your DH talk to her and discuss it? Can you make an effort to have her over a little more often for awhile? Maybe things will settle down after the newness of the others being back wears off a little. (I don't know how recent their move was) I'm sorry this is happening. Try to come up with some ideas with your DH to help the situation and keep all family members happy.

She knows what it is doing to him. She offered to pick him up at school. He was so excited...only to have her show up 30 minutes late with her daughter in law and granddaughter, because she wanted to show them around the school her 2 year old granddaughter might go to some day. She couldn't even drive past their house and pick him up from school on time.